Chapter Eighteen: The Devious

Seeing the surge of violet-black gas approaching, Chen Jin immediately retreated, grabbing two Lan family members who were hiding in the corner of the front gate and pulling them out of the range of the gas. Yet the violet-black gas was relentless, coiling around itself like a black serpent, continuing to pursue Chen Jin as he fled, but it could not match his speed and was left in the dust behind him.

It was clear to anyone that this gas was harmful, and so the Lan family members who had previously collapsed on the ground were suddenly invigorated, rushing together into the ancestral shrine. After all, between an outsider and their own ancestors, they naturally trusted the latter more. Moreover, Lan Gaoda was fiercely resentful toward the violet-black gas; he would never think of harming them—at least not for now. Some understood these thoughts clearly, others less so, but among the Lan family, those who grasped the situation led the others inside.

Zhang Chunlan was also pulled into the ancestral shrine by her children, and Lan Gaoda’s fury toward her was barely tempered by another ghost holding him back.

Outside, Chen Jin was tormented in silence. Lei Dazhu should not have any magical abilities, not even having stepped onto the path of cultivation—how could he suddenly transform into such a formidable violet-black gas, and with rationality enough to pursue him? It made no sense.

But then, who cares about science when one is cultivating immortality?

Chen Jin suspected that the violet-black gas was not the real Lei Dazhu. Lei Dazhu must still be hiding in some corner, controlling it. Otherwise, if Lei Dazhu could change his form, why would he be left trailing behind, swallowing dust?

His mind raced, but he had no means to counterattack. His offensive capabilities were far too limited, restricted to the physical realm and unable to reach the spiritual or supernatural.

Still, this did not stop Chen Jin from attempting to fight back. He grabbed anything he could find in the courtyard, hurling it at the violet-black gas.

But the gas dispersed like ordinary smoke, only to regroup again.

“I’ll do it! Let me! Let me devour it!” Lan Gaoda’s voice roared from within the ancestral shrine.

But the other ghost continued to restrain him.

Lan Gaoda’s madness drove the Lan family members to cower in a corner of the shrine.

At that moment, Chen Jin began to walk the Yu Steps, loudly reciting the “Scripture of the Lingbao Salvation.” His voice was powerful and resonant, nothing like the somber, subdued chanting he had performed earlier in the shrine.

He only recited a brief passage, but the violet-black gas behind him immediately dispersed, and a flame appeared from nowhere, burning the scattered gas.

“Aah…”

A cry of pain reached Chen Jin’s ears.

But the cry did not come from the gas—it came from within the ancestral shrine.

Chen Jin’s gaze sharpened, piercing into the shrine.

Inside, the ghost with color was howling, its form collapsing back into shapelessness.

Seeing its agony and transformation, Chen Jin understood the truth.

This was the real Lei Dazhu!

“Lan Gaoda, he is Lei Dazhu!” Chen Jin shouted into the shrine.

His call threw the shrine into chaos once more.

Lan Gaoda’s spirit howled and lunged at Lei Dazhu’s ghost. Lei Dazhu, in pain, had no intention to fight back and turned to flee.

He tried to pass through the walls of the shrine, but the walls rebounded him. The ancestral shrine, daily honored by the Lan family’s offerings, possessed mysterious powers.

Lei Dazhu was thrown back, and Lan Gaoda pounced, baring his teeth and claws to tear Lei Dazhu apart.

Yet Lei Dazhu, though suffering, managed to throw Lan Gaoda off with a forceful charge.

Chen Jin rushed up, still walking the Yu Steps and reciting the “Scripture of the Lingbao Salvation,” his chanting now fierce and relentless.

He deliberately stood at the shrine’s entrance as he recited.

Lei Dazhu’s ghost had no resistance to the scripture; it broke apart, dissolving into a dozen wisps of cotton-like smoke.

These wisps then recombined at the shrine’s entrance into two formless spirits.

Ghosts were indeed mysterious…

Chen Jin ceased his chanting, curiously watching the two spirits. Lan Gaoda, not hesitating, lunged at one to bite.

The other spirit vanished before Chen Jin’s eyes; when he looked for Lan Gaoda and the remaining spirit, they too were gone.

Ghosts do not appear to mortal eyes at will, only manifesting in special circumstances. Earlier, they had been seen because Chen Jin was reciting the “Scripture of the Lingbao Salvation,” and the shrine provided a unique environment.

Previously, Chen Jin could see ghosts during rituals because his spirit was overflowing, so his eyes were no longer ordinary but capable of witnessing supernatural phenomena.

Now that the ghosts had disappeared, Chen Jin once more performed the Yu Steps, silently reciting the Metal Qi Incantation.

When he felt his spirit reach fullness again, he could only see Lan Gaoda in the shrine, tearing at the ghost, the two locked in fierce struggle.

The other spirit was gone.

To be honest, Chen Jin felt bewildered. Was Lei Dazhu really Lei Dazhu?

His gaze swept the ground, noticing a heap of violet-black dust—the remnants of the gas.

With this in mind, Chen Jin ran out of the Lan family courtyard.

He recalled Lei Dazhu saying he lived at the village chief’s house now, so Chen Jin decided to investigate.

He moved quickly and in a few steps arrived at the village chief’s home.

Leaping inside, he saw Lei Dazhu, unharmed, playing chess with the village chief in the courtyard.

As soon as Chen Jin landed, both men looked up at him.

Lei Dazhu’s gaze was pure surprise; Chen Jin could not tell if he was feigning or truly ignorant.

“Junior brother, don’t play dumb with me. Tell me, how did you summon a spirit?” Chen Jin went straight to the point, not bothering with pleasantries.

“What do you mean by that, senior brother?” Lei Dazhu gave him a puzzled look.

“Junior brother, you should know well about Lan Gaoda’s death,” Chen Jin said.

“Lan Gaoda’s death? Their family didn’t explain it clearly to me. They just asked me to conduct a ritual; I’m about to head over. Are you here to discuss the ceremony?” Lei Dazhu replied with a half-smile.

“Are you… playing games with me?” Chen Jin’s expression darkened.

Just as Chen Jin was about to explode, a voice came from outside the courtyard.

“Master Lei, we’ve set up the altar as you instructed. Can we start the ritual now?”

A man entered the village chief’s courtyard—it was Lan Gaoda and Zhang Chunlan’s youngest son.

……